Lesotho

Lore & Background

Lesotho was formed in 1824 by King Moshoeshoe I. Continuous encroachments by Boer/Afrikaner settlers made the King enter into an agreement with the United Kingdom to become a protectorate in 1868 and, in 1884, a crown colony. It achieved independence in 1966, and was subsequently ruled by the Basotho National Party (BNP) for two decades. Its constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. King Moshoeshoe II was exiled in 1990 but returned in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995. One year later, Moshoeshoe II died and his son Letsie III took the throne, which he still holds.

In Their Own Story

One morning, the mist clings to the Maluti peaks as a herder checks his cattle near the Maletsunyane Falls. The air is crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and burning wood. Below, the valley stretches toward Maseru, where the city wakes before dawn. This land holds memory in every stone, from the ancient paths of Moshoeshoe to the modern roads winding through the highlands.

Reader's Guide

The Sotho ethnic group (also known as Basotho), from which the country derives its name, comprises 99.7% of the country's current population, making it one of the most ethnically homogeneous in the world. Their native language, Sesotho, is an official language along with English, IsiXhosa, and SiPhuthi. Lesotho is considered a lower middle income country with significant socioeconomic challenges, but also one of the highest rates of literacy in Africa (81% as of 2021). Lesotho is a member of the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth of Nations, the African Union, and the Southern African Development Community.

Did You Know?

• Lesotho is the largest of the three sovereign enclaves in the world.
• The country's name comes from the Sotho ethnic group, which makes up 99.7% of the population.
• Lesotho has the highest peak in southern Africa.
• King Moshoeshoe I formed Lesotho in 1824.